The Warped Forest, Page 2

  When Alex reconnected, two dozen message requests appeared. She immediately X'd out the known trolls from the achievement forums, and anyone whose name she didn't recognize. She was about to click on the last unknown when the text gave her pause. It was a line from her favorite movie.

  [Shall we play a game?]

  Chapter Three

  The cursor blinked, waiting for her reply. The message box was titled Lord Falker. For that reason alone, Alex put her fingers back on the keyboard and typed a response.

  [Xandr] Love to. How about Global Thermonuclear War?

  She couldn't figure out why, but she was nervous waiting for the response.

  [Lord Falker] Nice work on the AoD

  Alex frowned. This must be one of her online friends who knew her love of War Games messing with her.

  [Xandr] Haha. Who is this? Checko? AgentBlue?

  [Lord Falker] I'm the one who put up the bounty. Take a moment and check the achievement forums.

  Alex quickly alt-tabbed out and confirmed what Lord Falker had said. She wasn't sure how she'd missed the War Games reference before, but his name was buried on the lead sheet.

  [Xandr] Not nice enough. I lost. :(

  [Lord Falker] I saw you DC. Unlucky. You were going to win.

  A chill went down her spine. She typed in her next question, but hesitated before hitting the enter key.

  [Xandr] I still get $$?

  [Lord Falker] Sorry, no. Bounty still up.

  [Xandr] ...

  [Lord Falker] Not here to taunt. Here to offer a better opportunity. Real reason for bounty.

  [Xandr] Haha. Is this some sort of The Last Starfighter thing?

  [Lord Falker] Yes, actually, it is. I'm looking for top gaming talent.

  Alex crossed her arms and squinted at the screen. Have I gone mad? She cracked her knuckles and responded.

  [Xandr] To defend the Frontier against the Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada?

  [Lord Falker] In a way, yes. I'm offering a chance to play the hardest game in the world. One with rewards far beyond what can normally be expected.

  There was a part of her that wanted to unplug the computer. It felt too good to be true. Your Princess is in another castle, or something like that.

  [Xandr] BS. There's no hardest game in the world with rewards better than the bounty I just lost. Who is this? Really?

  [Lord Falker] Gamemakers Online

  Alex sat tall and checked over her shoulder.

  [Xander] Gamemakers Online? I don't understand. As in the Hundred Halls?

  [Lord Falker] The very one.

  Her excitement drained out of her like a balloon gradually losing air. Her staccato response was punctuated with a hard enter.

  [Xandr] My Merlin scores suck

  When no response came right away, Alex was sure he'd disconnected. Whoever was on the other side was probably messing with her.

  [Lord Falker] But high enough to qualify. The Trials don't require excessive amounts of magical ability. They're more to test the student's problem-solving creativity, which you have an abundance of.

  [Xandr] I couldn't even get to Invictus to test if I wanted to. We don't own a car, we're broke, and to be honest, I still don't believe this is real.

  Alex sat against her chair, crossed her arms, and considered logging out.

  [Lord Falker] Check your mail.

  At that moment, her email account dinged. She found an email indicating that money had been sent to her online account. The sender had a Hundred Halls email address. She knew it could be spoofed, but why send money for a joke? When she checked the amount, it wasn't much, enough to get her to the city by bus...or take her mom out for her birthday.

  [Lord Falker] Take it or leave it. If you decide to come to the Halls, then I have no doubt that you'd pass the Trials. If not, good luck, Xandr.

  The window closed, indicating that her benefactor had logged out of the chat program.

  Alex switched over to her online account and stared at the money she'd just received. It wasn't a lot, but more importantly, it represented a chance at a new life. She peeked into the living room to see her mom sitting on the ratty loveseat, a pile of yarn in her lap as she tried to untangle the mess that had formed. Halfway through the untangling, she broke into a coughing fit.

  If she stayed in Kentucky, she'd have to get a job being a waitress or something else that would be a complete waste of her talents. But if she left, her mom would be all alone. While they hadn't gotten along since her dad died, she hadn't stopped loving her.

  But...

  The Hundred Halls.

  Gamemakers.

  Lord Falker had said it'd be a chance to play the hardest game in the world.

  Alex grabbed her favorite walking stick. When she had her hand on the screen door, her mom looked up from her knitting.

  "Aren't you fixing dinner tonight?"

  A vicious barb formed on her lips, but Alex swallowed it back. The thought of leaving brought a sheen of empathy to her mood.

  "I'll be back later, Mom. I need to take a walk, do some thinking," she said.

  "Oh, good. So you're considering selling your gaming gear," said her mom while her hands worked the needles, adding a chest-deep cough at the end. "I'll take tonight's turn at dinner if you need more time to think about it."

  Rather than correct her mother, she pushed through the screen door while shaking her head. As it slammed behind her, Alex squeezed her hands into fists. Her mother could be so infuriating!

  She was lucky she wasn't a rash person, or she would have told her she was leaving for the Halls out of spite. But Alex liked to make her decisions with a spreadsheet, working out all the pros and cons before making her choice.

  Her online friend AgentBlue always made fun of her about the spreadsheets, saying that it meant she was afraid, but that wasn't the way she saw it. Alex liked to consider all the options before settling on her path, but once she'd made that decision, she'd throw herself into it, even if it meant throwing herself off a metaphorical cliff.

  Which was why she wanted to take the time to think about the Hundred Halls and her mom. As mad as she was, she knew in her gut that she didn't want to hurt her. Each other was all they had left.

  Alex headed into the woods, taking the trail that wound up to Preacher's Lookout. A layer of clouds blocked the sun, which kept it from being completely miserable, but the gnats were out in full force. Every dozen steps or so she had to slap the back of her neck, wiping away the sweat and bug guts.

  Weighing the options took her complete concentration and she'd been making the journey up to the point for so many years that her feet knew every root and hole along the way, so she didn't notice the mountain lion until it let loose a growl.

  Chapter Four

  The mountain lion stood on a rocky ridge, staring down at her with its yellowish-green eyes. A raspy growl emanated from its parted mouth, sending a sick feeling into Alex's gut.

  She'd heard from her neighbors about a mountain lion being spotted in the next town over but hadn't considered that it would come their direction.

  The way it kept its focus on her, as if it were deciding when to attack, left her with little doubt to the danger it presented. She gripped the walking stick with her right hand, considering it as a weapon, but decided that if she had to defend herself with it, she was likely to lose. The mountain lion had to be over a hundred pounds of pure muscle.

  This is not the way I die.

  Without moving her head, Alex searched the area for a rock or something large that she could throw, to scare it away before it could decide she was dinner.

  She spotted a fist-size chunk of limestone that had broken away from the ridge, but it was too close to the mountain lion.

  Alex briefly considered escaping down the path, but she was at least a half mile from the trailer. She didn't know how fast a mountain lion could run, but it could easily catch her, and turning her back to it and running like prey was probably the worst thing she could d
o.

  The mountain lion took a step forward, crouching low. It coiled itself like a spring, growling with intent.

  Everything has a weakness.

  Alex considered using magic, but she sucked at the Five Elements. She had enough faez for minor effects, but she hadn't practiced the finger gestures for years, which meant she was more likely to produce a shower of sparks than a jet of flame. Still, maybe that was enough. While she knew way more about games, she knew that some animals made themselves big and scary to frighten real predators away.

  "This is going to be real hilarious if I run towards this thing and it eats me," she muttered. "It'll say on my tombstone that she offered herself for lunch."

  The mountain lion leaned forward, its claws gripping the stone for purchase.

  "Now or never," said Alex, dropping the walking stick so she could free her hands.

  She took a deep breath and released a rage scream that would have made a berserker proud, raised her hands above her head to summon fire magic, and ran up the trail towards the mountain lion. As expected, the flames sputtered into a spray, but the release made a gargling hiss.

  The mountain lion, which had looked ready to pounce, shifted backwards, eyes wide with concern at her rapid approach.

  As Alex ran towards the mountain lion, she saw the impetuous decision in its yellowish-green eyes. She made it halfway before it turned and fled, bounding through the trees without a glance backwards.

  Alex kept screaming long after it was gone, hoping that her voice would chase the mountain lion a long ways. When she was finished, she was out of breath, and inexplicably, a bout of laughter rose up from her gut and overtook her shaking fright.

  With her face buried in her hands, laughter slipped through her fingers. She wiped away the sweat dripping off her nose and retrieved her walking stick, if only to have something to hold onto.

  "What. A. Day," she said, shaking her head.

  Legs still quivering, Alex sat on the ridge that the mountain lion had been perched on.

  It took a half hour before her thoughts could return to the decision she had to make.

  In a way, the encounter with the mountain lion had been therapeutic. Her mind had been whirling with all the possibilities, but having faced down a deadly wild animal, the decision seemed so much simpler.

  But she knew the reason she hadn't made a snap judgement. It was her mom. Finances were terrible, and if she had to take any more sick days, she'd probably lose the trailer.

  Alex could keep that from happening if she stayed in Kentucky, but where would that get them? They'd be treading water forever, or at least until one of them faltered. But if she went to the Halls, she could get a real job, take care of her mom.

  But what to do about the bills due now?

  When Alex knew what she was going to do, she headed back down the trail, occasionally glancing behind her even though she knew the mountain lion was long gone.

  When she reentered the trailer, her mom was in the kitchen digging through the cabinets.

  "Oh, good, you're back. What do you prefer, elbow noodles with cheese, or spag noodles and a can of sauce?" asked her mom.

  "Don't we have deer stew left? I thought the pot was still in the fridge?" asked Alex.

  Her mom blinked and placed a hand against her chin before opening the refrigerator door.

  "Oh, my. You're right." She glanced askew, placing her fingertips against her temples. "I guess I forgot about it."

  "It's okay. Everyone forgets stuff," said Alex, moving past her mom to retrieve the stewpot.

  She threw it on the stove and lit the gas. The lighter sparked three times before it caught with a whoosh.

  "I feel so forgetful these days," said her mom.

  Alex's stomach tightened. Her mom wasn't going to make it any easier.

  "You've got a lot on your mind," said Alex. "Look, Mom. Can we talk?"

  Her mom shot her a worried glance.

  "Sure, sweetie. What's up?" she asked, her lips already forming a frown.

  Alex opened her mouth to tell her mom about Lord Falker, but decided she'd freak out about "strange people on the Internet."

  "I, uhm, got a scholarship to attend the Hundred Halls, for the Trials anyway," she said.

  "What? The Halls?" asked her mom, eyes searching her as if she'd broken out in hives. "But I didn't think you had enough magic...like me?"

  "It's enough to take the test, and the guy I talked to said the Trials were more about solving problems," said Alex.

  Her mother's mouth remained open as she leaned back against her chair.

  "Mom? Are you okay? I hoped you’d be happy for me," said Alex.

  Her mother's knotted forehead only tightened further. "I am, sweetie. I just…it's just so quick. I thought you were going to be here with me."

  The quiet desperation in her mother's gaze nearly broke Alex's heart. It felt like a lifeline being thrown in hopes of being pulled to safety.

  "This will be better," said Alex. "I'd never be able to earn enough money here. But if I pass the Trials and then graduate, then I can get a fantastic job. Think about it. It's the only magical university in the world, and everyone who tries to use magic without them goes mad. Even the worst student makes a killing when they graduate. You could quit working at the diner, I'd move you into my house, buy you all the yarn you wanted."

  Her mother looked at her like she was trying to give her a live rattlesnake to hold.

  "But what will I do until then?" asked her mom.

  "What you've always done, Mom. Go to work, visit Angela on Tuesday nights, bowling on Sunday afternoons. And don't worry, I'll call whenever I can. Maybe I can pick up a side job while I'm in Invictus."

  Her mother looked away, fingertips pressed against her lips.

  "But I...I'm..."

  She looked back at Alex, and whatever she had to say seemed to evaporate.

  "I'm gonna have to learn to be okay," said her mom, but she appeared on the verge of tears.

  "Mom," said Alex, throwing her arms around her. "It's going to be okay. And I might not even pass the Trials. If that happens, I'll come right back and have really cool stories to tell after that."

  "You promise?" asked her mom, pulling away and clutching her shoulders.

  "Of course," said Alex, not understanding the level of desperation in her mother's eyes. "I love you. You know that."

  "I love you too, sweetie," said her mom as she closed her eyes momentarily as if she might faint.

  The burner on the stove went out, which forced Alex to crawl under the trailer to swap out the propane tank. It was one of those things that her mother hadn't had to do in a long time because of her bad back.

  Alex told herself that their neighbor Frank was always available if her mother needed help. She was a grown woman in her early forties. She'd be fine on her own for a few years while Alex went to learn to become a mage at the Hundred Halls.

  Even thinking the word "mage" made her a little giddy inside, bubbling with an effervescence that split her face with a smile.

  A mage.

  Every kid, no matter what their level of magical ability, dreamed about joining the Hundred Halls to become a mage. Sure, it was probably the most dangerous profession in the world, but no one went there thinking they'd be the one to make the wrong finger gesture and accidently blow themselves up. That the Gamemakers Hall wanted her to join was a bonus in her eyes.

  But when she returned to the trailer, she tempered her excitement, pushing away thoughts about the Hall. If she wanted to reach the Trials she would have to leave by the end of the next day. So in the meantime, she wanted to spend as much time with her mother as possible.

  Alex relit the stove, kissed her mom on the forehead, and asked, "So. Tell me about that new knitting pattern you're working on?"

  Chapter Five

  The morning after the Merlins, Alexandria Duke shouldered her backpack as she left the Spire, heading to Gamemakers Hall in the twelfth district. As she stro
de from the towering building, she was once again overwhelmed by the sensory inputs of the busy streets.

  A tour group on flying carpets that cruised a few feet above the sidewalk whisked past as the guide spoke into a microphone and pointed at the surrounding buildings. Alex found herself following the man's hand as he indicated the Spire behind her. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she peered at the glass-covered building that rose twice as high as the nearest skyscrapers.

  It was hard to believe it was so tall. She wished she'd been able to look out a window during the Merlins, but the testing had kept her so busy that as soon as her head had hit the pillow she'd been asleep.

  Lord Falker had been right. Passing the Merlins had been a breeze, but she hoped that the rest of her time in the city of Invictus would be as easy. Because she'd never shown an aptitude for magic, she'd never worked on it. Her previous testings, which had indicated a low amount of faez—the raw stuff of magic—had convinced her she never had a shot. But maybe Gamemakers Hall was the best place for her, since they helped run the Merlins and other contests in the city. She wasn't going to be battling dragons anytime soon, but she certainly could help prepare the mages of tomorrow to do so.

  Alex found the Green Line train, which would take her to the outer wards, and found a seat in the nearest car. She tried not to stare at her fellow passengers, but there was a girl with bright pink hair in a tank top with a sleeve of tattoos manipulating a Rubik Cube using a magical field between her outstretched hands on the seat across from her. When the girl caught her staring, she winked, then went back to turning the levitating cube.

  The girl's manipulation was impressive, but her ability to solve the Rubik Cube was less than. It'd been years since Alex had played with the dexterous puzzle, but her fingers twitched with the memory of solving.

  "Think you can do better?" asked the pink-haired girl with an inviting smile.